What is a Fire Alarm System?
In today’s protection of our properties, a fire alarm system plays an important part of the fire and life safety of building and its occupants. Fire alarm system main function is to detect a fire at a sufficiently early stage so that the people who are at risk can made safely either by escaping as fast as possible or extinguishing the fire that can also reduce or prevent the property damage. Therefore, a reliability and functionality of fire alarm system as a whole is very important.
How Fire Alarm System Works?
In an event of a fire emergency, the fire alarm system main role is to detect fire and to alert people at risk inside the building and emergency response team to control the situation as fast as possible. Fire alarm system key functions is to detect (by the use of smoke detectors, heat detectors, flame detectors, etc.) , alert (by the use alarm horn, speaker, and bell), and monitor (control panel).
What are the different types of Fire Alarm Systems?
1. Conventional
a. Conventional fire alarm system uses physical cabling to connect several detectors and call points. Conventional fire alarm system has no way to identify immediately the exact location of the fire, but can be arranged in “Zones” to easily identify the location of the cause of the alarm. Its devices are cheaper but will consume more cable wires compare to addressable, since each device will be connected to the control panel by its own cable wire. This system are mainly used specially in smaller property.
2. Addressable
a. Addressable fire alarm system has the same detection principle, except that each detector can be given a set address that can help to identify the exact location of the detector that initiated the alarm, that can be seen in the fire alarm control panel. Addressable fire alarm system saves a lot of wire compare to conventional system, since the devices can share one cable wires up to the last device. Both ends of the wire is loop connected to the fire alarm control panel. This system are very suitable for large and high buildings, since they are able to pinpoint exactly which devices are triggering the alarm.
3. Wireless
a. Wireless fire alarm system, is hassle-free to install compare to conventional and addressable since it does not use any conduit and cable wires. However, even though you saved a lot of money in material and labor cost, the hardware and programming are higher than the wired systems. The devices are battery powered and can be placed anywhere and can be easily relocate if needed.
Source of Article https://www.asenware.com/newsroom/detail-What-is-a-Fire-Alarm-System–247.html
